The $5 million dollar fund is meant to help remove people who live within a two to three miles radius of the Union Pacific Railroad site which has tested positive for cancerous contaminants.
Marie D. De Jesús/Staff photographer
Chron.
By Kennedy Sessions
Houston officials unanimously approved $5 million on Wednesday to voluntarily relocate Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens residents who live near the contaminated Union Pacific Railroad site. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said residents in the community are not being forced out of their homes but now have the option to leave if they wish.
"The City of Houston has a moral obligation to provide people with an option. We can't afford to do it for everybody, but we certainly can set up this fund that will allow some people an option if they so choose," Turner said. "The remaining steps will be in collaboration with the community and the people who are directly impacted by this cancer cluster."
In addition to city departments and the Fifth Ward community, the multi-million dollar relocation effort will involve the Houston Land Bank, the Community Land Trust, and Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis.
According to District B Council Member Tarsha Jackson, residents will also be assigned case workers to help guide the process, and the fund is just the beginning of helping residents. "This is a start. We have a lot of fighting to do to hold Union Pacific accountable," she said. "With this vote, we are taking the lead."
City documents state that around 41 lots of residential properties fall within the boundaries. The relocation fund is being offered to both property owners and renters.
At-Large Council Member Letitia Plummer described the vote as a "bittersweet moment" for Fifth Ward. "Fifth Ward was once a really vibrant community, and now we are having to relocate obviously because of the irresponsibility and inconsiderateness of our neighbors," Plummer said.
A 2019 report by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services found unusual patterns of cancer over a set period of time and a high rate of children dying from cancer in the area.
Union Pacific spokesperson Janice Evans said the company is awaiting the Environment Protection Agency's approval for more soil sample testing, which could take months depending on the sample amount.
"Our goal is to listen, maintain transparency, and work collaboratively with the community while keeping its best interests at the forefront of our actions," the company said in a statement.
"Union Pacific is fully committed to following through with the additional testing that all parties, including the city of Houston, agreed is necessary. We are currently in the neighborhood seeking formal permission from residents to conduct these critical soil samples once the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves the testing plan. This additional testing will provide the essential data needed to make informed decisions regarding any required additional remediation."